Aftenfred. Landskab 1900

Holger Valdemar Rasmussen Magaard created this print, Aftenfred. Landskab, which translates to "Evening Peace. Landscape," using etching, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We see a lone figure walking down a rural road toward some modest houses in a northern European landscape. It's tempting to see this as a simple, even sentimental, scene. But, the image gains depth when we consider the social context of its creation and display. What did it mean to depict rural life at a time when industrialization was rapidly changing European society? What cultural values are associated with the image of a solitary figure making his way home? Is Magaard celebrating rural tradition, or elegizing its disappearance? To answer these questions, we can turn to sources like agricultural censuses, literary representations of the countryside, and exhibition reviews. These kinds of resources help us to understand the complex social meanings that artworks like this one could have held for their original audiences.